By Muyideen Aliyu, Ilorin
Nigerians have been urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) newly amended 2026 Electoral Act to avoid sanctions arising from violations.
Speaking at a one-day seminar organized by the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kwara State Council, themed “Dissecting the Amended Electoral Act 2026: Innovations and Implications,” the Head of the Legal Services Department at INEC in Kwara State, Barrister Abdulfatai Atata, stated that ignorance of the law would not serve as an excuse.
Atata explained that the Act governs how elected officials are chosen across the country.
Citing specific provisions in the newly amended Act, he emphasized the necessity of releasing election funds on time to enable the electorate to exercise their franchise smoothly.
He noted that streamlining the requirements for acceptable forms of identification such as birth certificates, national identity cards, and driver’s licenses remains germane to the process.
Atata further stated that Section 22 of the Electoral Act 2026 explicitly details electoral offenses, holding buyers and sellers involved in vote-trading accountable to serve as a deterrent.
He explained that the statutory notice period for conducting an election has been reduced to 300 days to enhance administrative efficiency.
He added that Section 28 of the amended Act reduces the timeframe for scheduling general elections by 60 days, down from the previous 120-day requirement.
Regarding political party administration, Atata highlighted that Section 77 now mandates political parties to maintain both digital and hard-copy registers of their members.
This ensures stakeholders can access membership particulars, thereby minimizing intra-party disputes while instilling discipline and transparency.
He also noted a marginal upward review of campaign spending limits for candidates to curb excessive financial extravagance in politics.
Atata emphasized that mandating the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) or any other technology adopted by INEC will significantly curb electoral malpractices.
He added that Section 128(1) streamlines pre-election matters and reduces the incidence of prolonged electoral disputes, noting that the 2026 Act provides clear procedures even in the event of technical glitches.
Earlier in the event, the Head of the Department of Voter Education and Publicity for INEC in Kwara State, Dr. Adigun Peter, observed that electoral malpractices are committed by various stakeholders during elections.
He reassured attendees that INEC’s systems have been continuously upgraded to minimize infractions.
Dr. Peter lamented that some politicians resort to vote-buying to manipulate outcomes, appealing to media professionals and the public to support the Commission in restoring integrity to the electoral process.
Similarly, the INEC Head of Unit for Public Affairs and Protocols in the state, Mr. Abdulkadir Ibrahim, stated that the new provisions reinforce the principle of “one man, one vote,” rendering vote-buying increasingly ineffective and counterproductive.
In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the NUJ Correspondents Chapel in Kwara State, Comrade Biola Azeez, explained that the seminar was organized to educate journalists on the new legal framework to guide their reporting and help enlighten the public.